In order to remain healthy, men and women of all ages need to intake certain amounts of various nutrients. An adult deficient of one or more of these nutrients is more susceptible to various disorders, such as osteoporosis and heart disease. As a result, adults frequently supplement their diets with multi-vitamins to inhibit, prevent, or reduce the frequency or severity of these disorders.
In order to maximize patient compliance, multi-vitamins are typically formulated to require daily administration of only one solid dosage form. Of course, the size of the dosage form is of great importance, as a tablet or capsule which is so large as to be difficult to swallow and digest will reduce patient compliance. Consequently, the amount of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients included in the dosage form is limited by the desired size of the dosage form.
Many different multi-vitamin compositions are currently manufactured and sold in the United States. They range in content from a few ingredients to more than 30. However, it has been found that it is not sufficient that ingredients be ingested randomly. Instead, it has been shown that it is beneficial to ingest certain ingredients in the presence of others. For example, it is known that the presence of Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium and its preventative action against osteoporosis.
However, it is also known that the simple concurrent ingestion of nutritional ingredients does not always guarantee increased efficacy. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,634 to Ellenbogen discloses that the absorption of iron from a nutritional supplement can be negatively impacted by the presence of certain concentrations of other metal salts, such as those containing calcium or magnesium.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide unitary dose nutritional supplements for once daily administration offering improved nutrient benefits.
It has been discovered that the administration of combinations of certain nutrients in set ratios increase the body's ability to absorb and use such nutrients. These combinations are important in helping the body reach the proper balance required for maximized function and/or good health.